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u Nav. 28, 1939. 'l n. G. TURNER Re.' 21,283

'EFT REPLENIASHING SHUTTLE CHANGING LOOM am? O21 7] Originalflled June12, 1930 A8 Sheets-Sheet l PA-rr-ENMECM. MAGAZINE?, f gig-2:

p8 l f i L uw Y SOLENOIDS Nov. 28, 1939. R. s. TURNER WEFT REPLENISHINGSHUTTLE CHANGING LOOM Original Filed June l2. 1930 8 Sheets-Sheet 2WLTI|| L Nov. 28, 1939. R. G. TURNER WEFT REPLENISHING SHUTTLE CHANGINGLOM Original Filed June l2, 1930 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 .Eil

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8 Sheets-Sheet 4 R. G. TURNER f m y VF a M www# e. A f/ y w.

Original Filed June l2, 1930 WEFT REPLENISHING SHUTTLE CHANGING LOOMNov. 28, 1939.

NOV. 28, 1939. Rl G. TURNER Re. 21,283

WEFT REPLENISHING SHUTTLE CHANGING LOOM Original Filed June l2, 1950 8Sheets-Sheet 5 7A/ vzw Taf? W70/45D G. 70E/VEP MM2? M FoP/VWS Nov. 28,1939. R G. TURNER WEFT REPLENISHING SHUTTLE CHANGING LOOM Original FiledJune l2, 1930 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Nov. 28, 1939. R. G. TURNER Re- 21,283

WEFT REPLENISHING SHUTTLE CHANGING LOOM Original Filed June l2, 1930 8Sheets-Sheet 7 Q v fm \\l l LU' f1 f A I NOV. 28, 1939. R, Q TURNER Re.21,283

WEFT REPLENISHING SHUTTLE CHANGING LOOM Original Filed June 12, 1950 8Sheets-Sheetl 8 Reissued Nov. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICERichard G. Turner, Worcester, Mass., assigner to Crompton & Knowles LoomWorks, Worcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Original No.2,054,171, dated September 15, 1936, Serial No. 460,746, June 12, 1930.Application for reissue September 61 Claims.

This invention relates to shuttle changing looms operating with two ormore kinds of fllling, and it is the general object of the invention toprovide such a loom capable of weaving fine fabrics at a high rate ofspeed.

Heretofore, weft replenishment in fancy or multi-shuttle looms runningat commercial speeds has been limited to bobbin changers, but with suchmechanisms the thread of the outgoing bobbin may be whipped into theshed to cause an imperfection in the cloth. Also, the shuttle tension onthe weft during the first pick after transfer is sufficiently differentfrom that on subsequent picks to cause a mark in the cloth. Thesedefects are minimized on shuttle changing looms. but commercial forms ofthe latter have in the past been limited to a single color of filling.It is an important object of the invention to provide a shuttle changingloom retaining the advantages inherent in the shuttle changer as regardsweft control and adding the multi-color principle to secure diversity ofweft.

In shuttle changers the weft can be placed in the shuttle by hand,making possible the use of paper or similar quills on which the weft isWound. Few mills make their own rayon, the majority of them buying thismaterial from outside sources, and as quills are light they add butlittle to transportation costs. These advantages have not beenattainable in fancy automatic looms in the past, but do exist in theloom described herein.

To simplify and reduce the number of parts I effect transfer of thedifferent shuttles from a common transfer position to the lay by thesame devices, the shuttles moving to the common position from theseveral stacks prior to the time This latter result is achieved by oftransfer. having the common position adjacent each of the groups ofshuttles, and moving a selected reserve shuttle from its group totransfer position with 1, opposite sides of the loom, indicating weftexhaustion on one pick and transferring on the next pick withoutintroducing change-delaying or indication-storing devices. To achievethis result it is necessary to have as long a time as possible lapsebetween indication of weft exhaustion and actual change of shuttles.Also, with the electrical devices which I use a circuit can be closedthrough an idle exhausted shuttle on the drop box side of the loom atthe wro-ng time unless st'eps be taken to prevent auch an OQ- 9, 1937,Serial No.

currence. I accomplish both of these results by putting the electriccircuits under control of the pattern mechanism.

Each idle exhausted shuttle becomes a potential initiator of changingoperations, and since it is possible for two exhausted shuttles to be inthe drop boxes at the same time with possibility of closing two circuitsand resultant color confusion at the magazine, a switch is used, to beoperated by the pattern chain and effective to close but one circuit ata time, irrespective of the number of empty shuttles in the drop boxes,the circuit closed corresponding to the shuttle next to become active.

When weaving crepe or other fabrics calling for two picks of one andthen two picks of another color, a special condition arises in that eachshuttle becomes active every alternate pick. The circuit through an idleexhausted shuttle is closed as soon as the pattern mechanism completesits movement, and the shuttle changing devices can therefore be set tobegin operations immediately thereafter, without waiting for the arrivalat the drop boxes of the active shuttle. This is true because it isknown in advance that the shuttle approaching the .drop boxes will notbe active on the next pick and changing operations need not awaitdetermination of the condition of weft in the active shuttle. In thisway added time is gained for the operation of the changing mechanism.

Further objects of the invention are, to effect shuttle replacement whenthe lay is at back center, to place the electrical contacts above thethread groove of the shuttle to avoid entanglement with the weft, toprovide a temporary shuttle support between the several groups ofshuttles and the lay, the support being yieldable in a direction otherthan that in which any shuttle moves toward it, to place a thread holdercommon to all the groups between the magazine and the center of theloom, to arrange a stationary binder under the lay so it will not catchthe weft ends of shuttles moving from the magazine to the lay, and tolocate the lowest front reserve shuttle above the common transferposition to provide clearance for the weft ends of the rear shuttles.

Briefly, my improved shuttle changing loom operates with substantiallysimilar shuttles any one of which may remain active for any number ofpicks independently of the period of activity of the other shuttles, hasa stationary multicolor shuttle magazine at one side of the loom withdetecting mechanism at the opposite or drop box side, employs electricalcircuits to be closed no jlater than the boxing at the drop box side ofthe active shuttle, and uses the pattern mechanism 'to prevent an idleexhausted shuttle from indicating a change if said shuttle is to remainidle.

' With these and other objects in View which will appear as thedescription proceeds, my invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of myinvent-ion is set forth,

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing both ends of the loom withthe-detecting and replenishing device on opposite sides thereof,

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the drop boxes on the detector or lefthand side of the loom, showing a shuttle on each box,

Fig. 3 is a top plan View taken in the direction of arrow 3, Fig. 2,

Figs 4 and 5 are detailed vertical sections on lines 4-4 and 5 5,respectively, of Fig. 2,

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic top plan view of the cam levers and operatingsolenoids therefor,

Fig. '7 is an end elevation of the lower part of the loom on themagazine side taken in the direction of arrow 1, Fig. l, showing thecams and levers for operating the shuttle advancing devices of themagazine,

Fig. 8 is a top plan view taken in the direction of arrow 8, Fig. '7,showing the key or arm which raises the boxes on the magazine end of theloom,

Fig. 9 is a detail top plan view showing the guide for the yielding camlevers,

Fig. 10 is a front elevation of the lower end of the box lifting deviceon the magazine end of the loom taken in the direction of arrow Ill,Fig. 7,

Fig. 11 is a detailed top plan view taken in the direction of arrow Ii,Fig. 10, showing the electrical connections for the solenoids,

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 10 with certain parts removed andshowing the connections between the solenoids and the cam levers,

Fig. 13 is a front elevation of the upper part of the shuttle changingside of the loom, showing the magazine for holding the reserveshuttles,l

Fig. 14 is an end elevation, partly in section, looking in the directionof arrow I4, Fig. 13,

Fig. 15 is a detailed vertical section through the lower part of themagazine, showing the two stacks of reserve shuttles together with thetwo shuttle advancers, one for each stack,

Fig. 16 is a top plan view of the lay and rising box under the magazine,

Fig. 17 is an enlarged horizontal section through the lower part of themagazine,

Fig. 18 is a detailed horizontal section on an enlarged scale on lineI8|8 of Fig. 14, showing the shuttle advancer for the rear stack ofbobbins,

Fig. 19 is a vertical section on line IQ-IB of Fig. 18,

Fig. 20 is a detail front elevation looking in the direction of arrow20, Fig. 18, showing one of the shuttle retaining clips,

Fig. 21 is a detailed front elevation of the connections between therising boxes on the magazine end and an improved form of box lifter rod,

Figs. 22 and 23 are diagrammatic views showing the relation between thetop of the rising box on the lay on the magazine end of the loomtogether with the operating cam therefor,

Fig. 24 is a diagrammatic view showing the time relation between thepattern chain and certain switching mechanism to be described,

Fig. 25 is a side elevation of the switches controlled by the patternchain,

Fig. 26 is a detail horizontal section on line 26-26 of Fig. 25, and

Fig. 27 is a detail diagrammatic View showing a modication of part ofthe matter shown in Fig. l.

The loom comprises a pair of electrical weft detectors at the drop boxor left hand side of the loom which coact with electrically equippedsimilar shuttles and operate in conjunction with a pattern controlledswitch to determine which of two solenoids on the opposite side of theloom shall be energized for the purpose of swinging one or another oftwo levers under depressing cams. These levers are connected to shuttleadvancers on a two-celled magazine and the actual changing mechanism iscarried in part by the lay and in part by stationary structure.

The description which follows will start with the detector mechanism atthe drop box end and follow through the effect of an indication of weftexhaustion, showing iinally how the shuttle which is depleted will bereplaced by a full shuttle carrying the same kind or character of lling.

Drop boxes and detector mechanism Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, there isshown a gang of shuttle boxes having two cells 3D and 3|. Each cell isprovided with guide tongues 32 of the usual form to cooperate withgrooved guides, one of which is shown at 33 in Fig. 2. The boxes may beraised or lowered by any ap proved form of box motion acting through abox lifter rod 34 to bring either of said boxes in alignment with theshuttle race 35a of the lay 35. The active shuttle may be propelled bymeans of any form of picker not shown extending through slots 36 in theback of the gang of boxes.

A pattern chain 31, having a movement preferably every alternate pick.acts upon a pattern lever 38 to determine the sequence of movements ofthe shuttle boxes, the pattern chain being of ordinary construction andin the usual time with respect to other loom parts. The shuttle boxesare moved so that either box may be in alignment with the lay for anydesired even number of picks, depending upon the pattern, and each boxhas a shuttle binder B.

The weft detecting mechanism comprises a pair of brush or springelectric contacts for each box, the top pair being shown particularly inFig. 3 with the shorter contact 39 being secured to the metallic frame4U of the boxes and therefore being grounded to the loom. Each box has aVertical plate 4I against which lies an insulating plate 42. A secondplate of insulating material 43 is held to the plate 4I by means ofscrews 44 and is grooved to receive the other or longer contact spring45. By reason of the grooves shown in Fig. 4 the springs 39 and 45 areheld in fixed horizontal position relatively to the lay. The upperspring 45 is'electrically connected to binding post 46, whereas thelower corresponding spring is connected to binding post 41, and theshorter lower spring 39 is grounded as is the case with the shorterupper spring 39.

The shuttle has on the upper forward wall thereof a pair ofsubstantially horizontally aligned contact plates 48 and 49 which aredesigned for engagement, respectively, with springs au fr" 45 and 39. Asshown in Fig. 3 the contact 48 is shorter than the distance between theshuttle engaging portions of the springs 39 and 45 to prevent both ofthese springs from contacting with said plate 48 at the same time andthereby giving a false indication of weft exhaustion. The plates areseparated and normally held out of electrical contact with each other bya sufficient supply of weft, but are electrically connected at weftexhaustion.

The plates 48 and 49 are both above the weft groove G, see Fig. 2, sothat the filling at no time is required to pass near enough to thecontacts 39 and 45 to be entangled with them.

As shown in Fig. 4 the shuttle box construction has a central web 5U theright hand part of which forms the supporting structure for the uppershuttle and the left hand part of which is low enough, as at 5|, to beout of contact with the upper shuttle but provides a support for thelling, permitting the latter a certain amount of free motion on thesupport under the shuttle without being pinched by the latter. A similarconstruction is employed for the lower shuttle box.

When weft exhaustion occurs in any shuttle the corresponding springcontacts will be electrically connected through the shuttle, and any oneof a plurality of circuits to be described can be closed if otherconditions exist as set forth hereinafter. Any other approved form ofelectrical detector may be employed to close a circuit at an exhaustedshuttle in the drop boxes.

Pattern chain control of switches end of the loom and exhausted at thesame time,

it is necessary to provide some means to prevent a temporarily idleexhausted shuttle from causing shuttle replacement, otherwise confusionin there is employed a pair of switches, one for each drop box, and Iprovide for having but one of these switches closed at a time. On anygiven pick of the loom the switch will be closed for that shuttle boxwhich will be in active position on the next pick.

In carrying out this feature of the invention there is connected t'o thepattern lever 38 a depending rod 52 attached at its lower end to a lever53 pivoted as at 54 to a fixed switch stand 55, see Figs. l and 25. Twoswitches U and L are provided for the upper and lower boxes 30 and 3|,respectively, and each switch has a plunger 55 movable through a housing51 fixed to the stand 55. A coiled spring 58 surrounds each plunger andpushes down on an insulator 59 slidable on the plunger. A spring contactmember 60 is held between two insulator washers 6| below the insulator59, and a pin 62 through the plunger limits down motion of the springmember and plunger. The plunger passes through an enlarged hole B3, Fig.26, in the member Gl), thereby keeping the latter out of contact withthe plunger. Guide notches 84 in insulator 59 position the contactmember relatively to the plunger and cause it to move against contacts65 and 65 insulated from each other and from the top 61 of the housing.

The lever 53 has grooves 68 to receive the lower ends of the plungers,each plunger contacting with the lever preferably though not necessarilycolors may result. To accomplish this result' at all times. As seen inFig. 25 pivot 54 is nearer switch L than switch U, so that the spring 58of the latter exerts a greater turning moment around the pivot than doesthe other spring. In this way the lever 53 tends to turn in a right handdirection as viewed in Fig. 25 against the lifting action of patternchain lever 38.

The parts are so proportioned that but one switch can be closed at atime, namely, the one corresponding to the next shuttle to be active. aswill appear from a consideration of Fig. 24. The circle in this figurerepresents the path of the crank on the lay driving or top shaft, pointsFC, TC, RC and BC corresponding to the front, top, rear and bottomcenters, respectively. The boxes ordinarily shift from bottom throughfront to top center, the period during which the warps cross. Thepattern chain which controls the box shift must, therefore, complete itsmotion before bottom center., and this is accomplished in the ordinarybox loom by having the pattern chain start its motion at some point asat 65 between top and rear centers and completing its movement at somepoint such as 66 between rear and bottom centers. It is seen, therefore,that rod 52 is given its complete movement, if it is to move at all,before the lay reaches bottom center and prior to the shifting of theboxes. As a matter of fact, rod 52 is found to move sufficiently toclose the switches while the lay is in its rear position.

The pattern lever 38 which determines the sequence of movements of theboxes also controls the switch, so that no confusion of colors canresult.

From the description given of the pattern chain control for the switchesit will be understood that the switch corresponding to the shuttle nextto move from the drop boxes toward the magazine will be closed prior toshifting movement of the shuttle boxes. It is an important furtherconsideration that the switch corresponding to the idle shuttle is open.

Solenoids and circuits The switches already described call for thedelivery of a correct shuttle from the magazine by a plurality ofelectromagnetic devices, one device for each of the switches. Thesedevices are shown more particularly in Figs. 1, '7, l0, 11 and l2 whereit will be seen that a stand 1|) supports solenoids 1| and 12. Solenoid1| is connected by means of wire 13 to contact point 65 of switch U andis capable of connection by means of said switch U to its other contact66, Wire 14 and binding post 48 of the upper insulated contact spring 45on box 30. In a similar way solenoid 12 is connected by wire 15 throughthe other switch L and wire 15 to the lower insulated contact spring 45.A transformer 11 fed by power lines 18 and 19 supplies current for thecircuits and is controlled by a master switch S. The transformer isgrounded to the frame by wire 80 and has a wire 8| connected to thesolenoid 1| and a second wire 82 connected to the solenoid 12.

Shuttle advancers to be described are actuated by a pair of levers 83and 84 which are controlled respectively by the solenoids 1I and 12.Solenoid 1| has a core 85 with a relatively short hook 8G pivotedthereto and positioned to lie over lever 83 so as to move the latter tothe right as viewed in Fig. 12 when said solenoid 1| is energized. In asimilar way the core 81 of solenoid 12 is pivoted to a relatively longhook 88 effective to move the other lever 84 to the right when thecorresponding solenoid is energized.

Levers 83 and 84 are provided with rolls 89 and 90, respectively, whichcooperate with short and dwell cams 9| and 92, respectively. These camsare both secured to the bottom shaft 93 of the loom and make a completerevolution in two picks of the loom. Lever 83 is connected to anupwardly extending pull wire 94, while lever 64 is connected to anupwardly extending rod 95.

Assuming that the upper shuttle is exhausted and on the drop box end ofthe loom with switch U closed, the following circuit will be closed'.ground, upper grounded contact spring 39, plates 49 and 48 of the uppershuttle, upper insulated spring 45, binding post 46, wire 14, contact66, spring member 60 and contact 65 of the closed switch, wire 13,solenoid 1I, wire 8| to the transformer, and back to the ground throughwire 90. Current iiowing in this circuit will cause attraction of theshort hook 86 and move the lever 83 under the short cam 9|. In a similarway, if the lower shuttle be empty with switch L closed current willflow through wire 16, the closed switch and wire 15 to excite solenoid12, so that lever 84 will be placed in operative relation with respectto its dwell cam 92.

The levers 83 and 84 may be made of flexible material and have theirrear ends secured to rigid arms 96 which oscillate about fixed stud 91and are carried by hubs 98 on said stud, see Figs. 6 and '7. By thisconstruction the solenoids can be made amply strong to deect the leversand move them from the full to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 6.

From the description given of the solenoids and circuits it will be seenthat when one or the other of the shuttles is empty and on the drop boxside of the loom ready to be picked toward the magazine, the levercorresponding thereto will be operatively related to its cam so thateither the pull wire 94 or rod 95 will be depressed to actuate one orthe other of the shuttle advancers to be described.

The time of closing the previously described circuit will depend uponwhether the exhausted shuttle has been active on preceding picks orwhether it has been idle and is returning to activity.

If the shuttle is to remain active after becoming exhausted, the patternmechanism will remain unchanged and the switches will also remainunchanged. In order to complete the circuit, however, it is necessaryfor the shuttle to be sufficiently boxed to permit contact of the plates48 and 49 with the contact brushes 39 and 45. This will ordinarily occurbefore the lay has reached bottom center, from which it will be seenthat the indication is given relatively late when the depleted shuttleis to remain in action.

If, on the other hand, the indicated shuttle moves out of actionimmediately after becoming exhausted and is returned to action at asubsequent pick, there will be a change of the pattern chain andtherefore an alternation of the switches immediately prior to its returnto action, and as soon as the switches assume their new position theshuttle, being already boxed, will complete the circuit and theindication will be given to move the corresponding cam lever under itscam. From this it will be seen that when a depleted shuttle passes outof action and again becomes active, the circuit will be closedcomparatively early, at some interval between rear and bottom centers.

As a special case suggesting a mode of operation wherein the earlyindication can be made use of, mention might be made of a patterncalling for two picks of one color followed by two picks of anothercolor. Under these conditions the indicating shuttle will always passout of action and the second of the conditions just described willalways exist, so that in so-called two by two work more time isavailable for moving the selected shuttle in the magazine to the cornmontransfer position.

Magazine and shuttle adoancers The magazine, designated generally at Mis shown in Figs. 13 to 21 and comprises a bracket |00 having spacedbearing members |0| and |02, respectively, secured thereto, Fig. 13.Each bearing receives a stud |03 one of which has supporting relationwith respect to the inner magazine plate |04 while the other has asimilar relation to the outer plate |05.

The shuttles are arranged ln two vertical stacks between said plates andare separated by a thin wall |06 supported on the outer plate |05 asshown in Fig. 17. A rear wall plate |01 is secured to the end plates anddefines the rear guide for the rear stack of shuttles. Set screws holdthe end plates and rear wall normally in xed position and the centralwall |06 is also normally fixed.

Fixed also to the magazine end plates is the front wall |08 in which isiournaled a rocker shaft |09, see Fig. 15. A support ||0 rocks aroundshaft |09 and has a yielding stop to engage a shuttle moving downwardlyfrom the front cell or forwardly from the rear cell, forming in effect ayielding front wall for the common transfer compartment. The stop isheld normally in rear position by a spring ||2 one end of which isattached to a collar ||3 fixed to the shaft |09, while the other end ofthe spring is connected to that part of wall |08 in which shaft |09rotates.

A second horizontal shaft ||4 is journaled in the front wall |08 and hasa shuttle support H5 provided with a shelf ||6 to lie under thelowermost shuttle in the forward stack. This support is iixed to theshaft and may be moved in a right direction as viewed in Fig. 14 bymeans of an arm ||1 secured to the shaft, ||4. A spring ||0 surroundingthe shaft I4 tends to hold the parts in the position shown in Fig. 15.

A shuttle stack support I9 is supported by and moves angularly aboutshaft ||4 against the action of a spring |20 one end of which is held bya collar |2| secured to the shaft I|4 and the other end of which is inactuating relationship with respect to the stack support. The stacksupport ||9 has a finger |22 which engages the shuttle support ||5 so asto limit angular movement of the stack support in a right hand directionas viewed in Fig. 15 with respect to the shuttle support H5.

Under normal conditions spring ||8 holds the shelf ||6 under the frontstackbf shuttles SF and the resilient face |23, such as rubber, of thestack support will be held away from the next to the bottom shuttle inthe front stack.

When lever 83 is depressed to exert a downward pull on wire 94 thelatter acting through a iiexible sheath |24 will lift the arm ||1against the action of spring ||8, the effect of which is iirst to movethe rubber pad |23 against the next to the bottom shuttle in stack SF,and then to move the supporting finger ||6 from under the lowermostshuttle in said stack. The lowest shuttle, being thus without support,will fall to the support or plate |25. The latter is resiliently mountedfor rearward motion on a pair of upwardly extending arms |26 and |21which are pivoted on plates |04 and |05, respectively. A tension spring|23 interposed between the arm |21 and a fixed part of the magazineframe holds the box plate |25 yieldingly in the normal forward positionshown in Fig. 14, a stop screw a in arm |21, Fig. 14, engages a part ofthe plate |05 to limit forward motion of said plate |25.

In order that the strain upon the rubber pad 23 of supporting the stackof bobbins in the front cell may be as short as possible the cam 9| isprovided with a short dwell |29, being effective to release arm ||1 assoon as the bottom shuttle has fallen to plate |25 and permit spring ||8to restore shelf ||6 to its normal supporting position. This lattermotion of the shelf takes place in sufficient time to catch the stack ofshuttles which are released by the pad |23 When the latter moves to theleft as viewed in Fig. 15 due to the rocking of the shaft ||4 underaction of spring IIB. The parts moving with shaft |4 for the sake ofconvenience have been termed herein the shuttle advancer for the frontstack of shuttles.

The weft delivery eyes of the shuttles of the front stack SF lie betweenthe inner end of the front wall |08 and the selvage of the cloth, asshown in Fig. 17, the weft ends extending to a thread holder |30.

The rear stack of shuttles are supported normally by a back plate |3|fixed with respect to the magazine frame and extends between the plates|04 and |05. The rear shuttle advancer, shown in Figs. 15 and 18, has aback vertical wall |33 having on its opposite ends shuttle retainingyielding clips |34 and |35, respectively, with inbent ends |36. Wall |33is mounted for sliding movement over the bottom plate |3| and isattached to a plunger |31 movable through a slide bearing |38 secured tothe back of the magazine frame, as suggested in Figs. 14 and 18.

The plunger carries a driving pin |39 around which extends the slottedend |40 of lever |4| pivoted on a stud |42 adjustable as to position ina small slotted stand |43 secured to the magazine frame. Lever |4| has astud |44 through which extends the upper end of rod 95. The latter hasan adjustable nut |45 adapted to engage the top of the stud when the rodis depressed by lever 84 against the action of a tension spring |46interposed between the top of said rod and a fixed part of the magazine.

As shown in Fig. 17, the central partition |06 is not connected at itsinner or left end to the end plate |04, but is spaced therefrom toprovide a passage for the threads extending from the rear stack ofshuttles to the thread holder |30.

By the construction just described it will be seen that when rod 95 isdepressed the plunger, and therefore the rear shuttle advancer, willmove forwardly, and the parts are so proportioned that the lowestshuttle of the rear stack or group SR will be moved into the space abovethe movable plate |25 and behind the yielding stop During this movementthe upper shuttles of the stack SR are supported by a part of the backwall |33, and as said plunger moves back to its rear position theshuttles fall to be supported by the rear plate |3|.

Shuttle transferring mechanism After a shuttle drawn from either stackhas reached the common transfer compartment over plate |25, it isnecessary to provide some means to place it in action, and this Iaccomplish by mechanism more particularly in Figs. 1, 7, 8, 10, l1, andthis mechanism may be controlled either mechanically or electrically.

The mechanical control for the box lifting mechanism operatessimultaneously with the advancers and includes a lever pivoted as at |5|to a fixed part of the loom structure and having an arm at the upperpart thereof with a horizcntally extending nger |52. The latter liesunder both of the levers 83 and 84 so that depression of either of themwill rock lever |50 in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed 'in Fig.7. A yielding connection |53 is interposed between the lever |50 and asecond lever |54 pivoted as at |55 to a fixed part of the loom frame.When the latter lever rocks under influence of lever |50 it exerts apull on a connector |56 attached to a key |51 pivoted as at |58 to aperiodically moving lever |59, and moves said key to lifting position.

In the second or electrical device for controlling the key |51 there isprovided a third solenoid 200 having a core 20| operatively connected tothe key. This solenoid is placed in the grounded part of the twopreviously described circuits to be common to both, so that when currentflows through either solenoid 1| or 12 current will also iow throughsolenoid 200. Wire 202 leads from the transformer 'I' to solenoid 200,while Wire 203 grounds said solenoid. The relation of these parts isdiagrammatically shown in Fig. 27. This electrical contro-l is quickerthan that rst described, and with its use the rising box B can start tomove earlier than when the mechanical arrangement is used.

The remainder of the mechanism to be described, namely, that set intomotion when the key moves to lifting position, and shown moreparticularly in Fig. 8, is substantially the same as that shown inChevrette Patent No. 1,834,302. A brief description of this mechanism isgiven herein in order to complete an understanding of the manner inwhich a shuttle is placed in action.

Lever |59 cooperates with a regularly moving cam |60 and is moved by thelatter about a xed pivot |6| so that the key is given an upward movementat that time in the cycle of the loom when a shift of shuttles is to bemade from the magazine to the la-y. A normally stationary lever |62 alsomounted on the stud IBI is operatively connected to mechanism indicatedat the left of Fig. 7 designated generally herein at |63 and having anupwardly extending rod |64 the top of which is connected to a risingtransfer box |65. The latter has a pivoted cover |66, see Fig. 16,having a stud |61 to engage a stationary cam |68 carried by themagazine. The box cover pivots about an axis |69 moving with the risingbox and the mechanism is such that as the box rises and moves rearwardlywith the lay the stud |61 Will engage the cam |68 to lift the coverpositively against the action of a torsion spring |10 effective normallyto hold the box cover in down position,

Inner and outer lugs |1| and |12, respectively, are carried by therising box R, and when raised engage adjustable screws |13 on theswinging frame which carries the movable plate |25. The latter willtherefore move rearwardly as the lay nears the limit of its rearwardmotion to release the shuttle thereon. The shuttle will thereupon fallinto the rising box, being prevented from moving rearwardly by wall |14fixed to the lay and being held against improper forward movement byforwardly bent fingers |15, Figs. 13 and 16, projecting upwardly from abinder |16 pivoted to the lay but held against vertical movementrelatively thereto.

As the lay starts its forward motion the lug |61 will roll down cam |68and the cover |66 will be lowered by action of gravity and the spring|10 to push the new shuttle down on the box bottom |11. When cam |60finally restores the box to normal low position the box bottom will beopposite the race plate |18 of the lay ready for picking.

It is to be understood that the exhausted shuttle arrives under themagazine when the boxes are up and enters the auxiliary lower box |19.This box is made without retaining walls to hold a shuttle, and on aforward beat of the lay after the shuttle arrives in the auxiliary boxand after the latter moves down to normal position, the shuttle will beexpelled from the auxiliary box onto inclined guides and to the shuttleholder |8|, this being caused by the momentum of the lay and the suddenchange in the direction in which the latter moves. It is also to beunderstood that when the boxes are up and the exhausted shuttle isreceived in the auxiliary box that the binder |16 which is held fromvertical movement checks the night of the shuttle coming into theauxiliary box, but on a downward movement of the boxes the auxiliary boxmoves away from the stationary binder |16 and the shuttle in theauxiliary box is free to move from the lay. A more complete descriptionof this feature may be had by referring to Patent No. 1,753,233 of April8, 1930, to Chevrette, and also No. 1,554,374 of September 22, 1925, toRyon.

From the foregoing it will be seen that there is provided a multicolorshuttle changing loom capable of running at high speeds and Weavinglight fabrics of fine yarns. The shuttles are threaded prior to changingand the outgoing exhausted shuttle carries its weft end forwardly fromthe path of the active shuttle. The pattern mechanism controls theoperation of the shuttle advancers and avoids confusion of colors, as italso controls the shifting or drop boxes. The threads from each stackare provided with proper guides to prevent entanglement. Since theindication of weft exhaustion is given not later than the boxing of theactive shuttle in the drop boxes, ample time is provided to place ashuttle from the proper group in transfer position and effect changewithout storing the indication.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes andmodifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wishto be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a multicolor shuttle changing loom, a magazine to supply twodistinctive types of shuttles and having a. discharge opening thereincommon to the different types of shuttles, a lay movable backwardly andforwardly in the loom, and means to effect transfer of a shuttle ofeither type derived from the magazine to the lay on the backward strokethereof, the lay and opening in the magazine being in substantialvertical alignment when the means effects transfer of the shuttle.

2. In a multicolor shuttle changing loom, a magazine having a -pluralityof types of reserve shuttles, a lay movable backwardly and forwardly inthe loom, an exhausted shuttle holder in front of the lay, means toeffect transfer o1' any type of shuttle from the magazine to the laywhen the latter is in rearward position, said lay effective to dischargethe exhausted shuttle into the exhausted shuttle holder on the followingforward beat of the lay.

3. In a multicolor shuttle changing loom, a lay moving back and forthbetween given rear and forward positions, a magazine to hold a pluralityof substantially vertical stacks of shuttles having wefts of differenttypes and having a discharge opening common to the different stacks ofshuttles, said stacks being at different horizontal distances from therear position of the lay, and means to transfer a shuttle derived fromany of said stacks to the lay when the latter is in its rear position.

4. In a multicolor shuttle changing loom, a lay movable back and forthin the loom, a magazine having a plurality of groups of substantiallysimilar reserve shuttles, the shuttles of each group having weftdistinctive from that of any other group, means defining a normallyempty compartment which is adjacent all of said groups and over the laywhen the latter is in rear position, means to move a shuttle from any ofsaid groups into said compartment, and mechanism additional to andindependent of the last named means to transfer a shuttle from saidcompartment to said lay when the latter is in rear position.

5. In a multicolor shuttle changing loom, a lay movable back and forthin the loom, a magazine having a plurality of groups of reserveshuttles, the shuttles of each group having weft distinctive from thatof any other group, means defining a normally empty compartment which isadjacent all of said groups, means effective to cause movement of ashuttle from any of said groups into said compartment, and mechanismadditional to and independent of the last named means to transfer ashuttle from said compartment to said lay when the latter is in itsrearmost position.

6. In a multicolor shuttle changing loom, a lay movable back and forthbetween rear and forward positions, a magazine having a plurality ofgroups of distinctive reserve shuttles, means defining a compartmentadjacent each of said groups and capable of receiving a shuttle from anyof said groups, said compartment being over the lay when the latter isin its rearmost position, and means to move a shuttle from thecompartment to the lay when the latter is in rear position.

'7. In a shuttle changing loom, a magazine having two substantiallyvertical compartments separated by a partition, said partition having anopening at its lower end, and weft controlled means to move a shuttlethrough said opening from one compartment to the other of said magazineupon indication of substantial weft exhaustion of a correspondingshuttle, the partition terminating above the path of movement of theshuttle which moves into said other compartment, the weft end extendingfrom a shuttle moving to said other compartment passing under thepartition.

8. In a multicolor shuttle changing loom having shifting shuttle boxesat one end thereof, a lay, a shuttle race on the lay, a magazine at theother end of the loom having substantially similar reserve shuttleshaving wefts of distinctive types arranged in groups according to weft,pattern mechanism, and means controlled by the pattern mechanism andoperative during the pick prior to a shift of the shuttle boxes toselect and thereafter transfer to the lay at the level of the shuttlerace thereon a shuttle corresponding in type to the exhausted shuttlewhich is rendered active by said shift.

9. In a loom, a plurality of shifting shuttle boxes operating with aplurality of shuttles any one of which may become active, patternmechanism to control the movements of the boxes and determine whichshuttle shall be active, and mechanism controlled by the patternmechanism and independent of the shifting boxes and effective within twopicks of the loom to replace any exhausted active shuttle by anothershuttle .of the same kind.

10. In a loom, a plurality of shifting shuttle boxes operating with aplurality of shuttles any one of which may become active, patternmechanism to control the movement of the boxes and determine whichshuttle shall be active, a group of reserve shuttles for each of theshuttles which may become active, and means controlled by the patternmechanism independent of the boxes and effective within two picks of theloom to replace any active shuttle which is exhausted by a shuttle drawnfrom the reserve group corresponding thereto.

11. In a loom, a plurality of shifting shuttle boxes operating with aplurality of shuttles any one of which may become active, patternmechanism to control the movement of the boxes and determine whichshuttle shall be active, a magazine having a plurality of groups ofreserve shuttles, there being a group for each shuttle which may becomeactive, and means controlled by the pattern mechanism independently ofthe boxes and effective within two picks after indication of exhaustionof any shuttle to move into action a reserve shuttle from the groupcorresponding to the active exhausted shuttle.

12. In a shuttle changing loom having drop boxes on one end to cooperatewith a plurality of shuttles any one of which may become active and allof which are substantially the same except for the character of fillingcarried thereby, weft detecting mechanism for each of said shuttles, amagazine at the other end of the loom having groups of shuttles all ofwhich are substantially the same except for the character of filling,said groups being arranged according to the filling, and meanscontrolled by the weft detector of any drop box and effective within twopicks of the loom to replace an exhausted shuttle corresponding to saiddrop box by a shuttle drawn from the corresponding stack in themagazine.

13. In a shuttle changing loom having drop boxes on one end to cooperatewith a plurality of shuttles any one of which may become active and allof which are substantially the same except for the character of fillingcarried thereby, a plurality of substantially similar weft detectors,one for each drop shuttle box, a magazine having a plurality of groupsof shuttles, one group for each shifting shuttle box, the shuttles inthe magazine being substantially the same except for the weft carriedthereby and said groups being arranged according to the wefts of theshuttles, and means controlled by the weft detector and effective withintwo picks of the loom to replace any active shuttle which is exhaustedby a shuttle from a group the weft of which corresponds to the weft ofthe exhausted shuttle.

14. In a loom having drop boxes on one end to cooperate with a pluralityof shuttles any one of which may become active and all of which aresubstantially the same except for the character of lllng carriedthereby, weft detecting mechanism adjacent the shifting shuttle boxes tocooperate With the active shuttle, a magazine having groups of reserveshuttles at the other end of the loom, said reserve shuttles being allsubstantially the same except for the filling they carry and the groupsbeing arranged according to the filling, and means controlled by theweft detector and effective within two picks of the loom to replace anactive exhausted shuttle by a reserve shuttle drawn from the grouphaving lling corresponding to the exhausted shuttle when the exhaustedshuttle reaches the magazine side of the loom.

l5. In a shuttle changing loom having a plurality of shifting shuttleboxes operating with a set of shuttles any one of which may becomeactive, said shuttles having distinctive weft, a weft detector tocooperate with any active shuttle while in the shifting boxes todetermine the condition of weft therein, a pattern mechanism to controlwhich of said shuttles shall be active. a plurality of groups of reserveshuttles, one group for each of the shuttles which may become active,the groups being arranged according to weft and the weft of each groupcorresponding to the weft of a shuttle which may become active, andmeans under the joint control of the detector and pattern mechanism andindependent of the shifting boxes and effective within two picks of theloom to replace an active exhausted shuttle by a reserve shuttle fromthe group corresponding to the exhausted active shuttle.

16. In a shuttle changing drop box loom, a plurality of drop boxes atone side of the loom, a magazine having compartments adapted to receiveshuttles having different kinds of weft, means to indicate substantialweft exhaustion in a shuttle in the actively positioned drop box, meansto selectively release a corresponding shuttle from the magazine and toadvance said shuttle to transfer position, and means to thereaftertransfer said selected shuttle.

17. In a loom, shifting shuttle boxes at one end of the loom tocooperate with a plurality of shuttles any one of which may becomeactive, pattern mechanism to determine the position of the shiftingshuttle boxes, weft detecting mechanism to determine the condition ofthe weft in the active shuttle, a shuttle changing mechanism at that endof the loom opposite the shifting boxes, and means independent of theshifting shuttle boxes and under the joint control of the detectingmechanism and pattern mechanism and operative between successivemovements of the latter to initiate and complete the removal of anexhausted active shuttle from active weaving position and move intoactive weaving position a shuttle carrying similar weft drawn from theshuttle changing mechanism.

18. In a multicolor shuttle changing loom, a plurality of groups ofshuttles7 the shuttles of each group having weft different from the weftof any other group, a thread holder common to the groups located betweenthe latter and the center of the loom, and fixed means definingguideways for each of said groups of shuttles, said fixed means havingprovision for defining thread passages for the weft ends extending fromthe reserve shuttles to the thread holder.

19. In a multicolor shuttle changing loom, a pair of stacks of shuttles,the weft of each stack being different from that of the other stack,front and back walls, an intermediate wall to define with the said frontand back walls front and back compartments respectively, saidintermediate wall being spaced from the back wall throughout its heightto dene a thread passage for the weft ends extending from the reserveshuttles of the rear stack, said intermediate wall also being spacedfrom the front wall to define a passage for the weft ends of. the frontstack, and a thread holder between the stacks and the center of the loomto which the weft ends are attached, said passages being at that end ofthe walls adjacent the center of the loom.

20. In a shuttle changing loom, a pair of substantially vertical groupsof reserve shuttles, means defining a transfer compartment adjacent bothof said groups, said compartment being below the front group and infront of the lowermost shuttle of the rear group, the lowest shuttle ofeach group being movable into the compartment preparatory to transfer, athread holder between the groups and the center of the loom, the threadsfrom the shuttles of the rear group moving downwardly and the thread ofthe lowest shuttle of the rear group moving under the forward stack whenmoving into said transfer compartment.

21. In a shuttle changing loom, a pair of groups of reserve shuttles onelocated behind the other, a lay, a binder on the lay held againstvertical movement relatively thereto, a shuttle box on the lay to risewith respect to the binder to a position under the front group ofshuttles, opstanding horns on the binder, the lowermost shuttle of therear group of shuttles being movable to a position under the lowestshuttle of the front group', the weft delivery eyes of the shuttlesbeing between the horns on the binder and the cloth, and a thread holderbetween the center of the loom and the shuttle eyes, the lowest rearshuttle when moving under the front group maintaining its positionbetween the horns on the binder and the thread holder to prevententanglement of the weft ends extending therefrom with said horns.

22. In a multicolor shuttle changing loom, a magazine having reserveshuttles provided with different characters of weft, shifting shuttleboxes to cooperate with a plurality of shuttles any one of which maybecome active, weft detecting mechanism for the shuttles in the shiftingshuttle boxes, control connections between the weft detecting mechanismand the magazine, means to render said connections eiective prior to theshifting of shuttle boxes on any given pick to actuate the magazine torelease a reserve shuttle having weft corresponding to that carried bythe shuttle to be active on the next pick, and means to move the reserveshuttle to active picking position on the pick of the loom nextfollowing said given pick.

23. In a multicolor shuttle changing loom, a plurality of shiftingshuttle boxes, a reserve shuttle magazine, means to indicate weftexhaustion in any shuttle in the shifting boxes prior to a. shiftingthereof, and mechanism controlled by said means to replace the exhaustedshuttle by a shuttle from the magazine during the pick following theshift of shuttle boxes.

24. In a multicolor shuttle changing loom, a pattern mechanism, a set ofshifting shuttle boxes on one side of the loom operating with aplurality of substantially similar shuttles any one of which may becomeactively placed for picking at a given point in the loom cycle undercontrol of the pattern mechanism and remain active for a period thelength of which is independent of the length of the period during whichany other shuttle is active, a stationary shuttle magazine on the otherside of the loom having a plurality of groups of shuttles all of whichare substantially similar, each group having weft of a characterdiierent from that of any other group, the shifting boxes holding anidle shuttle out of action while the activeshuttle is run'- ning, anelectric circuit carried in part by the shifting boxes, said circuit tobe closed at a time in the cycle of the loom not later than the boxingof an active exhausted shuttle on the shifting shuttle box side of theloom, and means under control of the pattern mechanism and acting at atime prior to said given point to control the closing of the circuit toreplace any exhausted active shuttle upon arrival at the magazine sideof the loom by a shuttle from the magazine having a weft correspondingto the pattern.

25. In a multicolor shuttle changing loom, shifting shuttle boxesoperating with a plurality of shuttles any one of which may becomeactive, exhaustion indicating mechanism to indicate exhaustion in anyshuttle, a multicolor reserve shuttle magazine having shuttles ofdifferent types, a color selector mechanism for the magazine todetermine which type of shuttle shall be transferred, and means to causeregister between the color mechanism and the shuttle boxes prior to thecompletion of a shifting movement of the latter when the exhaustionindicating mechanism indicates exhaustion in the active shuttle, to theend that the indicating shuttle will be replaced by a similar shuttle atthe magazine.

26. In a multicolor shuttle changing loom, shifting shuttle boxesoperating with a plurality of shuttles any one of which may becomeactive, a multicolor magazine having groups of shuttles of various weftscorresponding to the shuttles in the drop boxes, means to indicateexhaustion of weft in the shuttle next to be active prior to thecompletion of the shifting of the shuttle boxes which places theexhausted shuttle in active poi sition, the groups of shuttles in themagazine being normally at rest, means under control of the exhaustionindicating mechanism effective to assist movement of a reserve shuttlefrom any group in a transferring movement, the magazine having anunobstructed passageway for each group, and the shuttle of each grouppassing through the corresponding passageway in transfer movement,whereby two successive transfers of reserve shuttles from the same groupmay occur.

27. In a multicolor shuttle changing loom, a lay, shifting shuttle boxesoperating with a plurality of shuttles any one of which may becomeactive, a multicolor magazine capable of supplying shuttles of variouswefts corresponding to the shuttles in the drop boxes, means to indicateexhaustion of weft prior to the time of picking the exhausted shuttlefrom the shifting boxes, means on the backward stroke of the layfollowing the picking to move a shuttle similar to the exhausted shuttlefrom the magazine to the lay, and means when the lay next reaches thepicking position to pick the fresh shuttle toward the shifting shuttleboxes.

28. In a multicolor shuttle changing loom, a lay, shifting shuttle boxesoperating with a plurality of shuttles any one of which may becomeactive, a multicolor magazine capable of supplying shuttles of variouswefts corresponding to the shuttles in the drop boxes, means to indicateexhaustion in a shuttle when the lay is in its forward position, meansduring the following backward movement of the law to pick the shuttle,other means operative during said backward movement of the lay to selecta shuttle from the magazine similar to the picked exhausted shuttle,means operative when the lay reaches its rearward position to move theselected fresh shuttle to the lay, and means during the next backwardmovement of the lay to pick the fresh shuttle to the shifting shuttleboxes.

29. In a multicolor shuttle changing loom, shifting shuttle boxesoperating with a plurality of shuttles any one of which may becomeactive, a multicolor magazine capable of supplying shuttles of variouswefts corresponding to the shuttles in the shifting boxes, means toinitiate the selection of a shuttle similar to an active exhaustedshuttle from the magazine prior to the completion of the box shift whichrenders the exhausted shuttle active, means effective to move theselected shuttle to the lay when the latter is in one extreme of itsback and forth movement, and means on the lay to engage the shuttle atthe beginning of the movement of the lay away from said extreme positionto positively move the shuttle with the lay.

30. In a multicolor shuttle changing loom, a lay having shuttle holdingmeans at one end of the lay, stationary means to hold a plurality ofgroups of reserve shuttles, each group of reserve shuttles havingdistinctive weft, selective means to determine from which group areserve shuttle is to be drawn. means to effect discharge of a depletedshuttle from said shuttle holding means forwardly with respect to thelay, and means to insert into said shuttle holding means a fresh shuttledrawn from a selected group of reserve shuttles.

31. In a multicolor shuttle changing loom, a lay, stationary means tohold a plurality of groups of reserve shuttles, each group havingdistinctive weft, shuttle holding means located on one end of the lay toreceive a spent shuttle from the opposite end of the lay, selectivemeans to determine from which group a reserve shuttle is to be drawn forsaid holding means, said holding means retaining the depleted shuttletherein until the lay reaches forward position and thereby preservingthe tension of the last pick laid by said shuttle, said depleted shuttlebeing discharged from said holding means after said depleted shuttlereaches forward position, and means to insert into said holding means a.fresh shuttle drawn from the selected group of reserve shuttles.

32. In a multicolor shuttle changing loom, a lay movable forwardly tobeat a pick of filling into the cloth, stationary means to hold aplurality of groups of reserve shuttles, each group having distinctweft. selective means to determine from which group a reserve shuttle isto be drawn at the time of shuttle change, shuttle-holding means on oneend of the lay effective to receive a shuttle drawn from the selectedgroup and also to receive the depleted shuttle from the opposite end ofthe lay, said holding means retaining the depleted shuttle in its normalposition longitudinally of n the lay until the latter has reached itsforward position, and said depleted shuttle being then dischargedforwardly, whereby the tension of the last weft laid by the depletedshuttle is preserved until said weft is incorporated in the cloth beingwoven.

33. In a multicolor shuttle changing loom, a lay movable forwardly tobeat a pick of filling into the cloth, stationary means to hold aplurality of groups of reserve shuttles, each group having distinctweft, selective means to determine from which group a reserve shuttle isto be drawn at the time of shuttle change, shuttle box mechanism on thatend of the lay adjacent said groups and effective to receive a shuttledrawn from any group and to move such shuttle to active pickingposition, said shuttle box mechanism also receiving the depleted shuttlefrom the opposite side of the lay on the shuttle changing beat of theloom and holding said depleted shuttle during the ensuing forwardmovement of the lay and while the lay beats up the filling extendingfrom said depleted shuttle, and said depleted shuttle being dischargedforwardly from said shuttle box mechanism at the end of said forwardmovement of the lay.

34. In a multi-color shuttle changing loom, a magazine having aplurality of compartments each adapted to supply a distinct type ofshuttle and having a common point of delivery for all of said shuttles,means to sale-:t and advance a shuttle to said delivery point, supportmeans to hold the advanced shuttle at said common point of delivery, andmeans to remove said support means to release the selected shuttle byrearward movement of the lay, said shuttle being thereafter transferredby gravity to said lay.

35. In a multi-shuttle shuttle changing loom, shifting shuttle dropboxes on one side of the loom, pattern mechanism, means controlled bythe pattern mechanism to shift said boxes, a stationary magazine on theother side of the loom having a plurality of stacks of reserve shuttlescorresponding by type of weft to the weaving shuttles in the drop boxes,means to transfer a shuttle from any said stack to the lay, a shiftableweft selector the position of which determines which stack of shuttleswill be acted upon when said transfer means is actuated, meanscontrolled from the pattern mechanism to shift the position of saidselector in the interval between the motion of the pattern mechanism togive an indication of drop box shift and the next picking from the dropboxes, whereby said selector is always in register with the shuttle nextto be picked from the drop boxes before said shuttle is pickedtherefrom, detector mechanism to detect weft exhaustion in the weavingshuttles, means to actuate said transfer means, said actuating andtransfer means being normally disconnected, means actuated by saiddetector to operatively couple said transfer means with said actuatingmeans in the interval between reception of an active shuttle in theshifting boxcs and the next pick therefrom, provided the shuttle next tobe picked is substantially exhausted of weft for actuation of saidtransfer means, as controlled by said selector, to transfer from themagazine to the lay a reserve shuttle corresponding by type of weft tosaid exhausted shuttle prior to the next pick after the picking of saidexhausted shuttle from the shuttle drop boxes.

36. In a multi-shuttle shuttle changing loom, shifting shuttledrop boxeson one side of the loom, pattern mechanism, means controlled by thepattern mechanism to shift said drop boxes, a stationary magazine on theother side of the loom having a plurality of stacks of reserve shuttlescorresponding by type of weft to the weaving shuttles in the drop boxes,a common point of delivery for the bottom shuttle of each stack, meansfor positioning at said delivery point the bottom shuttle of any of saidstacks, a shiftable weft selector the position of which determines whichstack of shuttles will be acted upon when said positioning means isactuated, means to shift the position of said selector in the intervalbetween the motion of the pattern mechanism to give an indication ofdrop box shift and the next picking from the drop boxes, whereby saidselector is always in register with the shuttle next to be picked fromthe drop boxes before said shuttle is picked therefrom, detectormechanism to detect weft exhaustion in the weaving shuttles, means toactuate said positioning means, said actuating and positioning meansbeing normally disconnected, means actuated by said detector tooperatively couple said positioning means with said actuating means inthe interval between reception of an active shuttle in the shiftingboxes and the next pick therefrom, provided the shuttle next to bepicked is exhausted, for actuation of said positioning means ascontrolled by said selector, to deliver to said common delivery point,prior to the second pick following said interval, a reserve shuttlecorresponding by type of weft to said exhausted shuttle, and means totransfer said shuttle from said delivery point to the lay prior to thenext pick after positioning of said shuttle at said delivery point.

37. In a multi-shuttle shuttle changing loom, shifting shuttle dropboxes on one side of the loom, pattern mechanism, means controlled bythe pattern mechanism to shift said boxes, a stationary magazine on theother side ofthe loom having a plurality of stacks of reserve shuttlescorresponding by type of weft to the weaving shuttles in the drop boxes,means to transfer a shuttle from any said stack to the lay, a shiftableweft selector the position of which determines which stack of shuttleswill be acted upon when said transfer means is actuated, meanscontrolled from the pattern mechanism to shift the position of saidselector in the interval between the motion of the pattern mechanism togive an indication of drop box shift and the next picking from the dropboxes, whereby said selector is always in register with the shuttle nextto be picked from the drop boxes before said shuttle is pickedtherefrom, weft exhaustion detector mechanism associated with each dropbox comprising normally disconnected electric contacts of an electriccircuit, means whereby said contacts will be connected for currenttransmission through a substantially exhausted shuttle in the boxes,means to actuate said transfer means, said actuating and transfer meansbeing normally disconnected, means actuated by said detector circuit tooperatively couple said transfer means with said actuating means in theinterval between reception of an active shuttle in the shifting boxesand the next pick therefrom, provided the shuttle next to be picked isexhausted, for actuation of said transfer means as controlled by saidselector, to transfer from the magazine to the lay a reserve shuttlecorresponding by type of weft to said exhausted shuttle prior to thenext pick after the picking of said exhausted shuttle from the shuttledrop boxes.

38. In a multi-shuttle shuttle changing loom, shifting shuttle dropboxes on one side of the loom, pattern mechanism, means controlled bythe pattern mechanism to shift said drop boxes, a stationary magazine onthe other side of the loom having a plurality of stacks of reserveshuttles corresponding by type of weft to the weaving shuttles in thedrop boxes, a common point of delivery for the bottom shuttle of eachstack, means for positioning at said delivery point the bottom shuttleof any of said stacks, a shiftable weft selector the position of whichdetermines which stack of shuttles will be acted upon when saidpositioning means is actuated, means to shift the position of saidselector in the interval between the motion of the pattern mechanism togive an indication of drop box shift and the next picking from the dropboxes, whereby said selector is always in register with the shuttle nextto be picked from the drop boxes before said shuttle is pickedtherefrom, weft exhaustion detector mechanism associated with each dropbox comprising normally disconnected electric contacts of an electriccircuit, means whereby said contacts will be connected for currenttransmission through a substantially exhausted shuttle in the boxes,means to actuate said positioning means, said actuating and positioningmeans being normally disconnected, means actuated by said detectorcircuit to operatively couple said positioning means with said actuatingmeans in the interval between reception of ar, active shuttle in theshifting boxes and the next pick therefrom, provided the shuttle next tobe picked is exhausted, for actuation of said positioning means ascontrolled by said selector, to deliver to said common delivery point,prior to the second pick following said interval, a reserve shuttlecorresponding by type of weft to said exhausted shuttle, and means totransfer said shuttle from said delivery point to the lay prior to thenext pick after positioning said shuttle at said delivery point.

39. In a multi-shuttle shuttle changing loom, shifting shuttle dropboxes on one side of the loom, pattern mechanism, means controlled bythe pattern mechanism to shift said drop boxes, a stationary magazine onthe other side of the loom having a plurality of stacks of reserveshuttles corresponding by type of weft to the weaving shuttles in thedrop boxes, a common point of delivery for the bottom shuttle of eachstack, means for positioning at said delivery point the bottom shuttleof any of said stacks, a shiftable weft selector the position of whichdetermines which stack of shuttles will be acted upon when saidpositioning means is actuated, means controlled from the patternmechanism to shift the position of said selector in the interval betweenthe motion of the pattern mechanism to give an indication of drop boxshift and the next picking from the drop boxes, whereby said selector isalways in register with the shuttle next to be picked from the dropboxes before said shuttle is picked therefrom, detector mechanism todetect weft exhaustion in the weaving shuttles, means to actuate saidpositioning means, said actuating and positioning means being normallydisconnected, means actuated by said detector to operatively couple saidpositioning means with said actuating means in the interval betweenreception of an active shuttle in the shifting boxes and the next picktherefrom, provided the shuttle next to be picked is exhausted, foractuation of said positioning means, as controlled by said selector, todeliver to said common delivery point, prior to the second pickfollowing said interval, a reserve shuttle corresponding by type of weftto said exhausted shuttle, a shifting change box on the magazine side ofthe loom having fresh shuttle and exhausted shuttle receivingcompartments, means to transfer a fresh shuttle from said delivery pointto a fresh shuttle receiving compartment of the change box, means toshift said change box substantially concurrently with actuation of saidpositioning means to receive a fresh shuttle from said transfer means insaid fresh shuttle receiving compartment and the said exhausted shuttlefrom the lay race in an exhausted shuttle receiving compartment, andthereafter to again shift said change box to transfer said fresh shuttleto picking position prior `to the next pick following the pick of theex- 'haust-ed shuttle from the drop box.

40. In a multi-shuttle shuttle changing loom, shifting shuttle dropboxes on one side of the loom, pattern mechanism, means controlled bythe pattern mechanism to shift said drop boxes, a stationary magazine onthe other side of the loom having a plurality of stacks of reserveshuttles corresponding by type of weft to the weaving shuttles in thedrop boxes, a common point of delivery for the bottom shuttle of eachstack, means for positioning at said delivery point the bottom shuttleof any of said stacks, a shiftable weft selector the position of whichdetermines 20 which stack of shuttles will be acted upon when saidpositioning means is actuated, means to shift the position of saidselector in the interval between the motion of the pattern mechanism togive an indication of drop box shift and the next picking from the dropboxes, whereby said selector is always in register with the shuttle nextto be picked from the drop boxes before said shuttle is pickedtherefrom, weft exhaustion detector mechanism associated with each dropbox comprising normally disconnected electric contacts in an electriccircuit, means whereby said contacts will be connected for currenttransmission by a substantially exhausted shuttle in the boxes, means toactuate said positioning means, said actuating and positioning meansbeing normally disconnected, means actuated by said detector circuit tooperatively couple said positioning means with said actuating means inthe interval between reception of an active shuttle in the shiftingboxes and the next pick therefrom, provided the shuttle next to bepicked is exhausted, for actuation of said positioning means ascontrolled by said selector, to deliver to said common delivery point,prior to the second pick following said interval, a reserve shuttlecorresoonding by type of weft to said exhausted shuttle, a shiftingchange box on the magazine side of the loom having fresh shuttle andexhausted shuttle receiving compartments, means to transfer a freshshuttle from said delivery point to a fresh shuttle receivingcompartment of the change box and means to shift said change boxsubstantially concurrently with actuation of said positioning means toreceive a fresh shuttle from ,said transfer means in a fresh shuttlereceiving compartment and the exhausted shuttle from the lay race in anexhausted shuttle receiving compartment, and thereafter to again shiftsaid change box to transfer said fresh shuttle to picking position priorto the next pick following pick of the exhausted shuttle from the dropbox.

41. In a multi-shuttle shuttle changing loom, shifting shuttle dropboxes on one side of the loom, one box for each type of weft being used,weft exhaustion detector mechanism associated with each drop boxcomprising normally disconnected electric contacts, means whereby saidcontacts will be connected for current transmission by a substantiallyexhausted shuttle in the box at a time in the loom cycle substantiallyin advance of the point in the cycle when the shuttle is picked from theshifting shuttle boxes, and an electric detector circuit connectable tosaid contacts, a stationary magazine on the other side of the loomhaving a. plurality of stacks of reserve shuttles corresponding by typeof weft to the weaving shuttles in the drop boxes, means to transfer ashuttle from any said stack to the lay, pattern mechanism having aplurality of separate surfaces which assume different positions, meanscontrolled by movement of said separate surfaces to a given position toshift the drop boxes, means initiated from said pattern control movementto said given position to connect a detector circuit to the contacts ofthe drop box of the next active shuttle in the interval when each dropbox contains a shuttle and to disconnect all circuits to the contacts ofthe other boxes throughout said interval, and means to register theshuttle transfer means by the circuit through the detector contacts forsaid next active drop shuttle box, if said shuttle therein is exhausted,for actuation of said transfer means to transfer from the magazine tothe lay a shuttle corresponding by type of weft to saio exhaustedshuttle prior to the next pick after the picking of said exhaustedshuttle from the drop shuttle boxes.

42. In a multi-shuttle shuttle changing loom, shifting shuttle boxes onone side of the loom operating with a plurality of weaving shuttles anyone of which may become active, each weaving shuttle to remain active atleast two successive picks, Weit detector means to determine thecondition of weft in any Weaving shuttle, pattern mechanism to determinewhich of the weaving shuttles shall become active, a stationary magazineon the other side of the loom having groups of reserve shuttlescorresponding by type of weft to the weaving shuttles, means to delivera reserve shuttle from any group on the magazine, means to transfer asaid delivered shuttle to the lay, means to actuate said deliveringmeans, said delivering and actuating means being normally disconnected,shiftable means for operatively connecting said shuttle delivering meanswith said actuating means selectively for delivery from different groupsof shuttles in said magazine, means controlled jointly by the detectormeans and pattern mechanism to operatively and selectively position saidconnecting means in the interval between reception of an active shuttlein the shifting boxes and the next pick therefrom, provided the shuttlenext to be picked is exhausted. for actuation of said delivering means,to deliver from the magazine prior to the second pick following saidinterval a shuttle corresponding by type of weft to said exhaustedshuttle, and means to actuate said trans- Efer means to transfer saiddelivered shuttle to the lay prior to said pick.

43. In a multi-shuttle shuttle changing loom, shifting shuttle boxes onone side of the loom operating with a plurality of weaving shuttles anyone of which may become active, each Weaving shuttle to remain active atleast two successive picks, weft detective means to determine thecondition of weft in any weaving shuttle, pattern mechanism to determinewhich of the weaving shuttles shall become active, a stationary magazineon the other side of the loom having groups of reserve shuttlescorresponding by type of weft to the weaving shuttles. means to delivera shuttle from any group in the magazine, means to actuate saiddelivering means, said delivering and actuating means normallydisconnected, shiftable means for operatively connecting said shuttledelivering means with said actuating means selectively for delivery fromdifferent groups of shuttles in said magazine, means controlled jointlyby the detector means and pattern mechanism to operatively andselectively position said connecting means in the interval betweenreception of an active shuttle in the shifting boxes and the next picktherefrom, provided the shuttle next to be picked is exhausted, foractuation of said delivering means to deliver from the magazine prior tothe second pick following said interval a shuttle corresponding by typeof weft to said exhausted shuttle, a shifting change box on the magazineside of the loom having fresh shuttle and exhausted shuttle receivingcompartments, and means to shift said change box substantiallyconcurrently with actuation of said delivering means to receive a freshshuttle from said delivering means in a, fresh shuttle receivingcompartment and the exhausted shuttle in an exhausted shuttle receivingcompartment, and thereafter to again shift said change box to transfersaid fresh shuttle to picking position prior to the next pick after pickof said exhausted shuttle from the drop boxes.

44, In a multi-shuttle shuttle changing loom, a lay, a plurality ofshifting shuttle boxes on the lay to render active for at least twosuccessive picks any one of a plurality of weaving shuttles, astationary magazine having groups of reserve shuttles, one group foreach weaving shuttle, pattern mechanism having a surface to controlmovements of the shifting boxes,weft detector means to determine thecondition of weft in the weaving shuttle next to be picked from theshifting shuttle boxes, means controlled jointly by the weft detectormeans and said surface of the pattern mechanism to select and deliver ashuttle from the magazine to the lay within an interval of twosuccessive beats of the loom from indication of weft exhaustion by theweft detector means, change box mechanism on the lay at the magazine endof the loom having a cycle of movements which is completed within saidtwo successive beats of the loom, means under the joint control of theweft detector and said surface of the pattern mechanism to select anddeliver from the magazine to the change box mechanism a reserve shuttlefrom the group corresponding to the exhausted weaving shuttle, and meanscontrolled by the detector mechanism to give the change box mechanismits cycle of movements, said change box mechanism during its cyclemoving a delivered reserve shuttle on the lay to active weaving positionpreparatory to picking thereof, whereby shuttle changing operations ofthe loom may occur on alternate beats of the loom.

45. In a multi-shuttle shuttle changing loom having a lay, a pluralityof shifting shuttle boxes on the lay operating with a plurality ofweaving shuttles and shifting during a part of the loom cycle prior topicking to move any selected weaving shuttle to active position, eachweaving shuttle to remain active for at least two successive picks,pattern mechanism having a plurality of separate surfaces movableprogressively to a given position to control the movement of the shuttleboxes and determine which shuttle shall be active, groups of reserveshuttles separate from the lay, one group for each of the weavingshuttles which may become active, and means controlled by the separatepattern surface in said given position and independent of the shuttleboxes and including two concurrently acting mechanisms effective withina period of two successive picks of the loom to replace any exhaustedactive shuttle by a shuttle drawn from the reserve group correspondingthereto, one

mechanism to initiate selection and delivery to the lay prior tocompletion of a shift of the shuttle boxes of a shuttle drawn from thesaid reserve group, and the other mechanism effective to place theselected reserve shuttle in active picking position on the lay, themechanisms of said means being controlled by the pattern surface in saidgiven position to the end that shuttle changing operations of the loomcan occur on alternate beats of the loom.

46. In a multi-shuttle loom having a lay, a plurality of shiftingshuttle boxes on the lay operating with a plurality of weaving shuttlesand shifting during a part of the loom cycle prior to picking to moveany selected weaving shuttle to active position, each weaving shuttle toremain active at least two successive picks, pattern mechanism having aplurality of separate surfaces movable progressively to a given positionto control the movements of the shifting shuttle boxes and determinewhich weaving shuttle shall be acted upon, a stationary magazine havinggroups of reserve shuttles corresponding to the weaving shuttles, meanscontrolled by the separate surface of the pattern mechanism in saidgiven position and operative at a time prior to the completion of ashift of the shuttle boxes to select and deliver a reserve shuttle fromthe magazine to the lay within an interval of two successive beats ofthe loom, and other means controlled by the condition of weft in aweaving shuttle and also by the separate pattern surface in said givenposition to move the selected reserve shuttle into active weavingposition on the lay preparatory to picking thereof within the sameinterval of two successive beats of the loom, to the end that shuttlechanging operations of the loom can occur on alternate beats of the loomirrespective of movement of said separate surfaces relatively to saidgiven position.

47. In a multi-shuttle shuttle changing loom having a lay, shiftingshuttle boxes on the lay at one side of the loom operating with aplurality of Weaving shuttles anyone of which may become active, eachweaving shuttle to remain active at least two successive picks andcapable of remaining active for an even number of picks larger than two,a weft detector on the shifting shuttle box side of the loom to indicateweft exhaustion at a point in the loom cycle substantially in advance ofthe time of picking a weaving shuttle from the shifting shuttle boxes,pattern mechanism having a plurality of separate surfaces movable to agiven position to determine which of the weaving shuttles shall becomeactive, a stationary magazine having groups of reserve shuttlescorresponding to the weaving shuttles, and means controlled byindications received jointly from the weft detector and the separatepattern surface in said given position and effective within an intervalof two successive beats of the loom to replace any active depletedweaving shuttle by a shuttle drawn from the reserve group correspondingthereto, said last named means including two concurrently actingmechanisms both controlled froma separate pattern surface in said givenposition and one of which selects and delivers from the magazine to thelay a shuttle to replace the active depleted weaving shuttle and theother of which moves the selected reserve shuttle on the lay to activeweaving position preparatory to picking thereof, to the end that shuttlechanging operations of the loom can occur on alternate beats thereof.

48. In a multi-shuttle shuttle changing loom,

